Welsh Lamb reaches out to Scandinavian audience

PGI Welsh Lamb has become somewhat of an internet sensation in Sweden.

As part of Hybu Cig Cymru’s – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) autumn campaign, an online marketing drive for Welsh Lamb has encouraged Swedish consumers to discuss the quality and provenance of their food.

The Welsh red meat board invested in online promotions to boost sales in the Scandinavian market. Part of the marketing push showed an online video of schoolchildren discussing the origins of their meat. Hosted on YouTube, the advertisement has been viewed 370,000 times.

Whilst one of the children believed burgers to come from bears, another thought it was produced from nuts, sharks or pandas. Whilst it is a light commercial, the advertisement has a more important subtext, emphasising the importance for farmers to treat animals well. The video concludes by linking to Welsh sheep farmers’ responsible and sustainable practices.

“The video has really taken off,” explained Alex James, HCC’s export development executive. “Many children – and indeed adults – don’t think about where meat comes from. Being more aware of how animals are farmed helps consumers to make informed decisions.

“Our message is that Welsh Lamb, with its protected PGI status and its connection to our outstanding environment and sustainable farming practices, is a premium product in which consumers can have confidence. This is a fun and engaging way of getting that message across.”

James added that whilst Welsh Lamb is a fairly new product to the Swedish market, these types of advertisements present an innovative and cost-effective way to reach new customers. “In addition to the video, HCC has a Swedish-language website, we’ve undertaken promotions on social media including a successful online auction of a whole lamb earlier this year, and have worked with chefs and the AirDine website to increase awareness of PGI Welsh Lamb,” he explained.

AirDine is an online service that provides people with a platform to invite others to dine at their homes, similar to the house sharing Airbnb concept.